Season 4
by Glaivester
Summary: My take on a possible fourth season.
1. Episode 1: Resolutions

GLAIVESTER'S FOREVER KNIGHT CONTINUATION

Forever Knight belongs to TriStar or whomever. This work is not intended to infringe on any copyrights. If the owners of Forever Knight wish to profit off this story, it's fine with me. Permission to archive and post to anyone. Please give credit to "The Glaivester."

EPISODE ONE: RESOLUTIONS

Sometime in the summer of 1996.

Natalie looked at the inside of the apartment. "New York," she said. "I can't believe this!"

Nicholas followed her in. "There you go! Now leave me alone! LaCroix will teach you what you... need to know!" He walked out angrily. 

LaCroix walked in, amused. "Don't worry, Doctor Lambert." He kissed her gently on the cheek. "He's mad at you because you saved his life... thank you." He was actually smiling. LaCroix couldn't believe how happy he was, for a change. "He will come around - eventually. He thinks you betrayed him - maybe you did - but maybe you intervened when he needed it, as well."

Natalie took the bottle out of the cooler that LaCroix had brought in. "Which is it?"

"Human - mixed with cow, a 1 in 10 dilution. Nick may have given up for moral reasons, but even the rest of us have to settle for less than 200 proof every meal - most of us can't afford it. Well, I can, and do - but you probably should get used to something less - expensive."

Natalie took the bottle, popped the cork, and drank. "Tastes - so-so. I guess it'll get better with time - an acquired taste. I must say, blood tastes different than when I was mortal - I still remember when my baby teeth fell out. It was just a salty, warm - nothing."

"How did Nick's blood taste?"

Natalie wrinkled her nose. "I thought I was going to throw up."

--------Flashback------------

Natalie was talking to Vachon at the Raven. "So, when a vampire brings someone across, the - bringee has to taste the vampire's blood?

"Well, in general, they have to taste their own blood filtered through the vampire. This is usually done through slashing one's wrists, but if a vampire vomits while feeding, this also can cause the victim to be brought across."

"Like Jack the... oh, never mind."

"The vomiting method is unpleasant for the - parent vampire, for lack of a better term. It is usually only used purposely in a dire emergency."

"Richard," said Nat.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, I heard about him. So sorry for your loss."

"It's been three years. I guess I should be - over it by now."

"Naw. I know what it's like, losing someone you've known for a long time."

"Screed."

"Sometimes I think we were like brothers." Vachon shrugged.

"What if a person were to taste a vampire's blood without being drained? I wish I had studied Jurgen's patients more carefully. They were kept young, but not brought across. What, though, if they had drunk the blood instead of injecting it? What if they had a massive overdose? What if they were drained to the point of death while under the drug's influence?"

Vachon looked at Natalie. "I don't pretend to know. There are those - who have done experiments, or so rumor goes, but I don't know their names."

-----End flashback--------

"LaCroix, I can't help but feel guilty."

"I know of a man whose girlfriend deliberately got pregnant so he would have to marry her. Simon Call - back 100 years ago. He was furious at her, But he married her. They were miserable for a year, but for the next sixty, they were as happy a couple as anyone could ask for."

"And you know them because?"

"Believe it or not, I have respect for mortals, Dr. Lambert." LaCroix looked like his old, sneering self again. "I was one once myself, you know. A great hunter does respect his prey. And I am loyal to - a select few mortals. When I give my loyalty, I do not take it back without just cause."

"Constantine?"

"The emperor or the mob boss?"

"The mob boss."

"Yes. He is an example, my dear Doctor. He helped me, and I remained loyal up until the day he disappeared. Strange thing, that, disappearing so close to death. Everyone was waiting to hear of his death, he was so old and sick. And then, he gets, kidnapped, I guess, with only a few days to live. And no apparent heir to run the business! How fortunate that his long lost love child from Halifax was willing to take over - but such a pity that no one has ever seen what he looks like!" LaCroix smiled, and Natalie wondered what was really going on. Nick had seemed so - relaxed after that Constantine case. all he had said was, "LaCroix has repaid an old debt and helped the Don to keep the family business without having to subject his great-grandson to it." Strange Nick would be so happy about a mob boss retaining power.

LaCroix left and Natalie began settling in.

"Hello," said a man's voice in the alleyway.

The blonde woman kept walking. The man began to follow her. "Listen, toots. You owe me four thousand. And I mean to collect. With the new initiatives, you can't walk the streets as easily anymore - but there are more subtle ways to sell what you got. And if you don't - no more of what you need - and - well, let's just say that if you aren't willing to use your body, you might find that it isn't in such good shape." She was running, and he was running after her.

A policeman stepped out from behind the shadows and stopped the woman. "Better listen to the man, honey. You owe him money, you do whatever it takes to repay. Or else, I'll have to bust you for stealing - or maybe just for whoring and doing drugs."

The woman stared at the policeman, frightened. "Please, help me! Please!"

"Sorry, honey. I work for whoever pays me. Right, Tom?" He looked at the man from the alley.

The man handed him a hundred. "Here's your tip. Thanks." He slapped the blonde in the back of the head. "You're lucky you're so pretty. If it didn't cut into profits to have an ugly whore, I'd knock out some teeth."

Nick looked at his new desk. Aristotle had been good about altering his recommendation from Toronto. Changed the ages, dropped Nick's time as detective by three years - all to make it easier to believe that he was who he said he was. Eventually he'd have to start a new identity from scratch, but for now a little sleight of hand would make his official age more believable and closer to his apparent age. And pretending that he had been a detective only since early 1994 instead of since late1990 - well, eventually people would have asked if he became detective straight out of the academy. It was a good thing that he had managed to pawn off the publicity on Schanke during the Texas murderess case - and they had not appeared to play a major role in the asteroid case - otherwise his life would have been devastated.

"Hello, partner," said a voice. The man spoke with a slight British accent. He had blond hair and a somewhat pursed mouth.

"Green, has anyone ever said you look like the guy from 'The Princess Bride?' asked Nick.

"Cary Elwes? All the time!" apparently this did not bother him. "Would you like one?" He pointed to the carton of French fries he was holding.

"Thank you," said Nick. He took the French fry and slowly, very slowly, ate it.

"Like another?"

"Uh - not right now."

"They said that they suspected you were anorexic - well, we'll fix that! I will make it my personal goal to get you to eat!"

Nick looked worried. "As long as you don't decide to get me some sunlight. I have a very rare sensitivity, you know."

"They told me. Thank God for the ADA, eh? Eh?"

Nick winced. Oh no, here it came.

"EH? EH? Isn't it ABOOT time that the U.S. respected disabled people?"

"It's ABOUT time you stopped teasing people from north of the border."

"Oh, come on! You love it and you know it!"

LaCroix, thought Nick, I was very clear when I asked you to stake me. But no, I have to be punished like this!

Natalie turned on the radio. "Hello, children. I am the Nightcrawler. Tonight the topic is... immigration. Or really, all movement across borders. Are immigrants here to do the jobs that no one else will - or are they here to take from the hardworking America - to suck their blood, so to speak?"

Natalie turned off the radio. She laughed slightly. LaCroix always had to get in his little digs at Nick. They had all immigrated from Canada, of course, so despite the political-sounding nature of the broadcast, it was of course directed at them.

Well, at least LaCroix wasn't her master. The broadcasts would be less personalized than they would for Nick. Did she really have a master?

------Flashback-------

At the coroner's office, Natalie took a bag of Nick's blood. "Let's just hope," she whispered, that my digestive enzymes don't destroy this too quickly."

She called LaCroix. "LaCroix. Come by Nick's loft in one half hour. Bring blood. Human blood - but from a willing donor. I won't tell you why - but if you want Nick to live, do as I say - and once you're there, do whatever you need to do to prevent Nick from doing something foolish! Don't let Nick know you're there until - well, you'll know when!"

At the loft, Natalie looked out. Nick's Caddy was coming in. She went to his refrigerator and took out the bag of his blood. She opened it and poured the contents into a large glass she had found in his cupboard. She sniffed at it. She wrinkled her nose. Then she brought the glass to her lips and drank it down.

----A few minutes later----

"All I'm asking Nick is for you to make love to me. I trust you."

"I won't leave you. What ever happens, we'll be together."

Then he bit her. Nat had been a little worried, after that night they had previously spent together - would making love vampire-style be less - well, less sensual? Apparently that was a silly fear. Nat had never felt this good. "I won't leave you. What ever happens, we'll be together.

"Whatever happens.

"WHATEVER HAPPENS."

----A few minutes later------

"Damn you, Nicholas!"

LaCroix brought the stake down into Nick's chest, but into the right side rather than the left. Blood gushed out of Nick's wound and he lost consciousness. He vamped out for a second, then collapsed.

"Thank God," whispered LaCroix, "his cure didn't work, or I'd have just killed him!"

He looked at Natalie. Would he bring her across? Was that her plan? No. Nick wouldn't let him. Nick would hate him for it. He would probably have to kill Nick for real, once he woke up. Was Dr. Lambert so stupid as to have thought that that would work? LaCroix watched as the last bit of life left Natalie -

As the last bit of life-

As the last-

No! It was getting stronger!

-----End Flashback-------

Natalie suddenly heard screams. She decided not to investigate. She wanted to use her new powers to help - but - she needed discipline. She couldn't let herself turn into Richard.

Outside, Tom took the blonde woman into a small room in a building in the alley.

"Listen, Laurie. I have police who work for me! They will make sure that you go to jail and I go free! So you do what I say, see? There are five customers in there -" he waved at a door "who are paying me one grand each to have you - relay style!"

"No, no!" she screamed.

"Your normal take is 40%, so this'll cancel out half your debt - well, until I calculate the interest you owe me, and until you need to add some more to your coke tab."

Natalie could hear the murmur, but could not make out what was being said. She called the police. "Please, I hear screaming coming from near my apartment. I live at the corner of Gooseberry and Colwyn street. I think someone is being raped."

On the other hand, a policeman was listening. "Okay, ma'am. We'll see what we can do." He hung up the phone. He placed a call.

"Fledsel? I hear that there is a rape going on near Gooseberry and Colwyn. Is it - Thomas Krull?"

"Sort of." The policeman who answered fingered his hundred-dollar "tip."

"Then there is no problem?"

"I'll wail the sirens for a few seconds, and the caller will think its been taken care of. Thanks for telling me, Gage - next time, you'll be the one to collect our - 'tip.'"

"You can count on it."

Nick was trying to be polite.

"Listen, Detective Green, why don't you enjoy both doughnuts. I am not hungry."

"Oh, come on! You need the nourishment!"

And I thought Schanke was bad, thought Knight. He took the doughnut Green was offering him, and took a bite. Jelly. Lovely, just lovely. Oh well, at least it wasn't garlic. As soon as Green looked the other way, Nick spat the jelly into his coffee cup. Then suddenly he felt a cry of fear - well, no, of concern.

Natalie.

No, thought Nick. Not after the way she betrayed me.

------Flashback---------------

Nick woke up, groggy. A bottle was placed to his lips. Cow. He drank. He felt a strange sensation in his head. A fledgling. His fledgling. He looked around. LaCroix was there, and Nat. But LaCroix was his master, not his child, and Nat was a mortal.

Nick choked on the drink for a second and LaCroix took the bottle from his lips. No, Nat was not a mortal - not anymore.

"Oh, Nat, I'm so sorry, so sorry - what did I do to you - what did I do - how could I have lost - I knew I lost control in feeding, but how could I have thrown up - especially when it was you..."

Natalie was about to say something, but LaCroix warned her off with a glance.

"Maybe you subconsciously couldn't let her die. In any case, what's done is done. You aren't still planning to go through with your little suicide pact, are you? You were going to let her die. You won't now decide to kill her - to put her out of her misery, so to speak?"

"I couldn't bring myself to bring - to deliberately bring her across, even if it would kill her. But letting her die is different than - than causing her to die. No. I will let her live - I will take her in. I - I am afraid of what might happen if anyone else tried to teach her."

LaCroix could see that the comment was made for his benefit, but decided to let it go.

"Nick! It's not your fault! I drank some of your blood sample before..."

"SHUT UP, DOCTOR!" roared LaCroix.

"I can't see him torture himself like -" spluttered Natalie.

"That last blood sample you took..." whispered Nick. "That wasn't for research into a cure? You tricked me! You tricked me into bringing you across - you - you - betrayer!"

Recovering quickly from the chest wound, Nick glared at Natalie. "You betrayed my trust - you raped me! How could you? How could you?"

Nat started crying. LaCroix held his forehead as if developing a headache.

----End Flashback-------------

Nick looked down at his paperwork. Ugh. Everywhere it was the same. Mounds and mounds of paperwork.

Nat had heard some sirens, but the screams of the woman were getting louder. She couldn't understand exactly, but she was sure that nothing was being done to help her. Finally, she opened the window. She must help her.

Nat looked around. She stepped out of the window and fell softly to the ground. No sense in flying, in case someone was watching. Natalie feared she would not have an easy time hypnotizing anyone, so it was best not to do anything that would require it. 

She ran into the nearby building where she heard the screams coming from. 

The door was locked. She knocked. No answer. She knocked harder. No answer. She knocked harder. "Excuse me! Is anyone in trouble?" She began pounding on the door.

"Heh, heh," said Tom Krull to himself , looking at the door. "No one is going to get through that!" Another door behind him opened, and Laurie was pushed out, all bruised and battered. A fat, balding man stepped out. "She was good - I like it when they scream."

"So the party was a success?"

"It still is - you said the others would be arriving?"

"In a few minutes. Help yourself to the - refreshments while you wait." Krull looked at the man. "So what are you celebrating, anyway?"

"A new business merger. We work aggressively, we -play- aggressively." He looked at Krull. "The - refreshments - are - very exhilarating. Good stuff. We will have to start selling this, soon - it would double our profits."

"It's the latest in synthetic design. Longer lasting, less addictive - unless you add the addiction agent... we call it 'pellmethylene.'"

"Let me in," yelled a voice from outside, "now!"

Thomas Krull looked at the door. "Female - well, not one of mine, I'm afraid, but if you'd like something to hold you over until they arrive - "

"Good."

Natalie was about to break down the door when it opened. Thomas Krull pointed a gun at her. "Come in. Come to the room in back and take off all your clothes."

Natalie looked at Krull, deadly serious. "No. I don't think so." 

The fat man looked at her. "Oh, yes. She is -exactly- what we want." He radiated some strange aura that Nat picked up on. "I know what she is and what fun we can have with her." He rubbed his neck, and seethed slightly, like - like Liam O'Neal. "I've always wondered what happens to one of you when you O.D."

Nat vamped out and threw Krull across the room. 

The fat man took out a spray can and sprayed Nat. "Mace," he chuckled.

"Uuuuhhhhhh.... garlic....." The last thing Nat remembered was the blonde woman - Laurie - running out of the building.

Natalie woke up, strapped to a table, crosses, garlic bulbs, and other painful things all around her. "Well," said the fat man, with four friends standing nearby. "Do you want to torture her first, or use her first? We can worry about the girls in the other room later."

"I say torture," said Krull, walking into the room.

"Very well." The fat man took one of the crosses, and undoing the first few buttons of Natalie's blouse, put it in the middle of her collarbone. Smoke began to billow as she winced in pain.

"Strange," said the fat man, "strange for a creature so used to looking at us as victims, as food, as - lesser beings. How does it feel to be not so invincible."

Not unusual, thought Natalie. She was very new at this. Not really used to being a vampire at all.

Flames shot out of her neck. The fat man took some water and doused them. "Oh, no, the cross won't be allowed to kill you. We want to have fun, first."

The fat man laughed, and then went silent. "She's not alone."

"Freeze, police!" 

Natalie tried to look in the direction of the voice. But she couldn't. 

"Good Lord," said the British-sounding voice. "Nick, you were right. But this isn't our precinct."

"We'll sort out the paperwork later."

"How did you know?"

"I had a hunch."

The fat man looked at the two police officers. "You don't know what he is, do you?" he asked Green. "You have no idea! He's a monster!"

"You're one to talk, Thrush!" Green stared at him, angrily. "You're one of the biggest drug-runners in the city! Now leave the lady alone!"

Thrush stared at Green. Two of the associates reached for guns. Green shot them both in one blindingly fast motion. The other two raised their hands in surrender. The fat man had taken the opportunity to set off a smoke bomb. While Nick raced to rescue Nat, Green ran over to see if he could get the two men whom he had shot out of there.

A few minutes later, Nat was standing with Nick in the street, while Green looked at the two dead bodies he had dragged from the building. "I guess we won't be getting any information from them," he stated sadly.

Krull was standing on a carpet in a large room. "Listen, Boss, I'm sorry. But we were ambushed.

"You say she was a vampire? Ten-to-one that Knight guy is her master. Only way to explain the connection between them."

Why not Green? Thrush never exactly said which was which.

"Unless Green was brought over quite recently, in which case he probably wouldn't have any - 'children,' he could not be a vampire. He was on day shift until two days ago. In any case, let's just say that Green cannot be a vampire. I want to get him. But not yet. This Knight character is the far greater threat. But someday... he will be - mine! Dismissed."

Krull wondered why he never saw the Boss's face. The room was always lit so that he stayed in the shadows. Oh well.

The Boss sighed in frustration. First Constantine was brought over to vampirism, so he would have to able to take over the old Don's business - not yet anyway. Now this.

The boss took the red bottle from the refrigerator near his desk and poured himself a glass. He was so much more than a vampire. So very much more.

Nick and Nat were at Natalie's apartment. "I'm sorry, Nick," Natalie cried. "I couldn't stand to lose you. I did - what I thought I had to do."

Nick hugged her. "I know. I know. But how can I search for humanity when it destroys everyone I come near? How can I get close to anyone when I kill them all? Tracy, Vachon, Urs, they all died because of me."

"Don't be ridiculous. Urs and Vachon died because of LaCroix - or because of Divia - nothing to do with you. Tracy - it was an accident. But you don't get it, do you? You really don't get it?"

"Get what?"

"You have already found your humanity. Mortality isn't the same thing. Not really. Vampires -are - human, Nick. We may have special dietary needs, and some weird weaknesses, but we are ultimately still humans."

"I thought death was defining for a human. Escaping the sinful body of this world, so as to receive a new one later."

"If you believe that way - but still, we aren't totally immortal, are we? If there is a Judgment Day, maybe we will die on that day too. But if we are to endure in this world now, does that negate the possibility of worlds to come - someday?"

"If we are so human, than why is LaCroix so - so -"

"He has gotten better, Nick. But Nick, I have read a little history recently - even when he was mortal, LaCroix was - not human. Not humane. anyway. He enjoyed raping and destroying whole tribes. Being a vampire has, if anything, softened him."

"I love you, Nat."

"I love you, Nick."

THE END


	2. Episode 2: Vamps

GLAIVESTER'S FOREVER KNIGHT SEASON 4

Not affiliated with the virtual fourth season.

Forever Knight belongs to TriStar or whomever. Krull belongs to Columbia Pictures, I think. This work is not intended to infringe on any copyrights. If the owners of Forever Knight wish to profit off this story, it's fine with me. Permission to archive and post freely given to anyone. Please give credit to "The Glaivester."

Note: I have not seen "Human Factor" yet, in case this fact becomes glaringly obvious.

EPISODE TWO: VAMPS

Part 1 of 3

Janette sighed. It was - not good, but at least familiar to be back at the Raven. Now that LaCroix had sold it back to her and that she had been essentially set free by her new master, she needed something to ground her.

Was it age, or experience that made a vampire more powerful? She was quite old, but had only crossed over (again) very recently. She could tell that she was powerful than most vampires who had been brought across fifty years ago, but not as much as those who were nearer to her total tally of years spent as a vampire. And of course, such factors as diet, strength as a mortal, and one's sex DID factor in, after all - age was a lot, but not everything.

Since Robert had died, she had lost all the joy of living. She hadn't really wanted to be mortal, she had only asked not to be brought across so that she might die and join Robert, maybe - somewhere in the afterlife.

She had heard that vampires didn't have souls. She had often pretended to believe that in order to tease Nicolas. But she never really believed it. Not quite.

-------Flashback--------

She didn't remember much about nearly dying. No desert, or anything quite like that this time. Only a choice. Why it was different, she had no idea. She had seen herself blown along a path toward a fork in the road. One way went off deep into a cave, the inside of which could not be seen. The other led - she saw the Toronto skyline.

"Choose."

She looked around but could not see a source for the voice.

"Choose. Now."

She was careering toward the cave. Would she end it, now? Or would she take this new chance she had been offered? Did she have a reason to go back? She thought about it for the briefest of seconds. 

Suddenly she heard a voice. Robert's. 

"Janette. It's not time. There's so much you can do."

Suddenly Janette realized something. The problem with being a vampire was that too often, you get absorbed in yourself. You forgot to find a meaning to your life. That's why Nick was able to get so passionate about whatever he believed in, he had found a meaning - finding his humanity. Granted, finding mortality was a destructive goal, but it was a goal. Not her goal, but - damn it, what was her goal. She had lived almost a millennium. What did she have to show for it? Whose lives had she touched? No, she couldn't die like this - not without feeling that her life had meant something.

"I choose," she hollered, to herself, really, "to go back!"

--------End Flashback------------

Janette picked up a phone. She dialed a few numbers.

"Nicolas? We need to talk."

Natalie looked forlornly at her empty apartment. Voices echoed in her head.

"I love you, Nat"

"I love you, Nick."

"But - I need time to digest what you said. I don't know if I can believe you anymore... or trust you. Do you really love me, or are you just - just- using me?"

Natalie slumped into her chair. She couldn't sleep, even though it was broad daylight outside. She went over to the UV-light bed in the corner of the room and got in.

She turned it on for only a second before she was in so much pain that she had to turn it off again. Ugh. And to think that Nick had done this in an attempt to be mortal again. What he hadn't realized is that it could be a useful tool for developing resistance to the Sun even if one was planning to remain a vampire. She had heard that sunlight was the number one cause of accidental vampire death, and she had decided to protect herself as much as possible. If only she could have protected her feelings as well.

Janette looked at the dance floor. So dark for the daytime. 

But tonight she would see Nicolas.

Looking at the door to the back rooms, she saw a large man come out. He walked over to the bar. 

"Thanks for letting me stay. Sorry. I guess morning came earlier than I had thought it would. How much?"

"One hundred for the room, and fifty for the bottle of horse. You can settle when you leave."

The man nodded. "So, how is the motel business?"

"I run a nightclub. The spare rooms are just - a convenience. And getting the occasional paying guest is always a bonus."

"How much for - other services?"

Janette glared at him. "I haven't made money that way for a -long- time. And I never made it that way for myself. If you don't want to be kicked out to roast in the Sun, I suggest you temper your appetites."

"Sorry," said the man. "Hell, it's not like I can find companionship any other way."

"Why not - you are not ugly - not by any standard that I know of."

The man smiled at her. "This is why." He vamped out, showing rather large fangs. To bring the point home, he reached into his pocket and brought out a wallet. He opened it, flashing a badge.

"An Enforcer." Janette was suddenly very, very cold. "Why are you here, what have I -" 

"I'm here for the same reason as everyone else." He looked at Janette. "You know, I don't spend all my time staking strays. Good grief, your friend Nicky was a cop, and he had a personal life. Why shouldn't we - I mean that is what we are, you know, cops."

"Are you all male?" Janette had only come across Enforcers rarely, and they had always been male in her experience.

"Actually, there is a new female recruit to the Ontario team. Draygon and Harchin are training her. Oh, where are my manners? My name's Macintosh."

Janette looked at Macintosh for a moment, then looked toward her bottles of - mortal's drink. She had to take inventory today.

Natalie turned on the television and put in a video. As Peter Horner's score filled the room, she thought back to a few nights ago:

-----Flashback----------------

"Using you? How?"

"To escape death. To... to escape your fear of the end of this life. When you thought you were going to die in the asteroid hoax, you asked me to bring you across - and then when I wouldn't you went off looking for Mr. Goodbar. You had me bring your brother over. And I hate to say this, but you have always been seduced by my vampiric side. When I said that I thought you were seeking some sort of sexual thrill - well, it wasn't just the blood overdose talking."

Natalie slapped Nick. 

------End Flashback-----------

Natalie could hear the words on the screen: "This it was given me to know, that many worlds have been enslaved by the Beast and his army, the Slayers."

But she heard Nick's last words before leaving.

"You must have planned this for a while."

-------Flashback---------

Vachon was explaining to her: "Well, in general, they have to taste their own blood filtered through the vampire."

------------Later------------

Nick was on the table.

"Listen, Nick, I may have a way to cure you. After you lost your memory, a few new avenues opened up.... I need to give you a blood transfusion and then take the blood out and see how it changes... I can do it again after a few psychological experiments. Vampires are highly - telepathic. This may explain their reactions to religious symbols - but if vampirism is at all psychosomatic - we may have a way to cure you."

Natalie took a bag of blood and poked the needle into Nick, "Now we will administer the blood. In five minutes we will take blood out again."

"I'm not sure I understand, Nat."

"I have a new method for separating blood by genotype. I can isolate the new blood from your system and see how it was changed." Thank God Nick was not a scientist. He was able to perform some basic medical procedures, but he had never been interested in the biochemical aspects.

"Who did you get this blood from, Nat?"

"Oh - just an extra bag from someone who had to have it removed for medical reasons. Hematochromatosis - too much iron. Can you see anything about them?"

"It's difficult when the blood is transfused this way - I can sense a longing, not much else."

Nat felt her arm for a second. "I'm sure that whoever gave this blood will soon have their longing - satisfied."

----------Much later---------

Nat tore open the bag and poured its contents into a large glass.

---------Later------------

Nick bit Nat.

----------Later---------

Natalie woke up, fangs displayed. LaCroix stood over the prostrate body of Nicholas, a stake sticking from his chest - but not through the heart.

--------End flashback----------------

Natalie watched the screen.

"That depends. Do you expect a husband to jump every time you clap your hands?"

"Wouldn't you jump for me?"

Nick always jumped to help me, Natalie thought. It was unfair to compare her actions to rape. LaCroix's comparison to someone getting pregnant to force a marriage was much more apt.

Later that day, at night really, Nick looked out his window. It was time to go to work, and as usual, Charlie - as Detective Charles Green insisted on being called - was bounding up the stairs to Nick's new apartment. He had French fries, which he had figured out somehow was the easiest thing to get Nick to eat.

Nick held his head in his hands. It would be one of those days - or nights.

Well, Janette would be here in another - five hours maybe? Nick didn't understand why she insisted on flying all the way over here, but then again, he never understood much about Janette.

For their first century and a half, she would occasionally come up to him and reenact the scene of her original seduction of Nick. However, she seemed to menace him at the time, reminding him of her greater age and power, and to suggest that he was only a vampire because of her insistence, and that if she grew bored with him, LaCroix would kill him on the spot.

Not that Nick believed this - although LaCroix seemed very willing to allow Janette to assert control - even encouraging it. Perhaps LaCroix had wanted to see whether Nick's will could be broken by a woman more so than by him.

As for Janette, well, she had needed to gain control to prove that she was superior. Mostly due, really, to issues from her mortal life that she was still working out. He understood that now, having finally convinced her to share the story of her pre-vampiric existence back during that pimp-murder case.

--------Flashback--------------

It was only a few years after Nick had been brought across. He was alone for a week or so while LaCroix and Janette were off taking care of some "business." LaCroix always had a hundred different things going on somewhere. It was his way of amusing himself, thought Nicholas.

Nick went into the village to meet a girl he had become quite smitten of. The best thing about it was, she was like him. They could drain each other without her dying, as others had. He always hated that about being a vampire. You meet a pretty young thing, and then the instant she arouses you - oops! She's dead.

Not that a lot of them were exactly unhappy about it, thought Nick. Quite a few of them died very - satisfied. Not like some of his other feedings. No, it was quite different when he fed on people he had no feelings for. It was like the difference between sex and using the toilet, decided Nick. Same general areas involved, but in a very different way.

Nick went to the tavern. She was sitting at a table, waiting for him. But something was different.

"Nicholas."

"Elizabeth."

"Nick - I can't see you anymore. I - please don't ask me why."

"But, but,"

"Nick, my life is in danger if I stay with you, I am so very young. I am so very weak, compared to my elders. I must not ever see you again."

------End flashback---------------

Of course, in time she had softened, and they had fallen in love. But that ended as soon as Janette had seen herself losing control - Nick's love for her was so strong - she hated feeling attached or dependent on anyone.

"Hiya, Nicky-boy!" Green shoved the French fries under Nick's nose. "Eat up!"

"You know, I am capable of driving to work myself- "

"Great! You can drive me! I always wanted to ride in a vintage car!"

A few minutes later, Green was having a philosophical discussion with Nick.

"A great uncle of mine died today. Cancer. Good grief, Nicky-boy, doesn't it seem as thought there's never enough time? Life's so short, you're always wishing that there was more time to do this, to do that. Don't you ever wonder what it would be like if you could live forever? If you didn't have the certainty that your clock was ticking away, that your hourglass was running to the bottom?"

"Uh-huh."

"I think it's TV and the movies and mass literacy that are to blame. Times were, your only concern was to survive, reproduce, and leave something for your family. Now we want to do everything once, to become an expert at everything. Sometimes I wish we could go back to the old days."

"With all the diseases and inconveniences."

"Hey, not everyone gets sick. Some people have a very strong constitution."

It was a slow day, thank goodness, thought Nick. Paperwork only, and that was fine for him. At three a.m., Nick received a call.

"Hello, Nicolas! I'm at your apartment. When do you get off duty?"

"Soon, I'll see you soon."

Because it was summer, Nick had shorter shifts, there being less night and therefore less time in which he could move around. He would be headed home in about an hour.

Back at Nick's apartment, a second visitor came in through the window. Janette sensed the presence, and decided to see if it was friendly.

"Hello. Who is it?"

"Janette? What are you doing here? I thought you were..."

"Dr. Lambert? You went with Nicolas? But how he could he take a mortal along with hi... Doctor, is someone else here other than us?"

"Not that I know of."

"Welcome to the club, then. I see Nicolas finally decided to give you our gift." Janette suddenly began to worry. Maybe it was too late for rapprochement with Nicolas.

"Not exactly."

Janette's heart leapt. "Did you find yourself another, then, like that Spark fellow?"

"Er - no. Nick did bring me across - it's just that, well, I sort of made the decision for him. He is a little upset with me right now. In truth, I don't know how he feels - I think he has feelings for me, but he reviles me for betraying him."

"I understand the feeling, believe it or not."

"You do realize, don't you, that I am not giving up without a fight. Now that I too, am a vampire, I can do anything you can do, so Nick won't come crawling to you every time he begins to feel his oats." Natalie sounded threatening. 

Janette sighed. "Nat, we don't need to fight like this. Ever since Robert, I don't know how I feel. I want to - set things right with Nicolas, one way or another. Yes, I do admit that I would like to get involved with him again. but more than anything, I want to stop the games. I just want to figure out where my life is headed. I don't want to wake up five hundred years from now and find that my life has meant absolutely nothing. What's the point of being a vampire if you don't do anything with it? You mortals - oh, sorry - well, you were one recently enough, you know what I mean, you create society, vampires too often just live off of it, not contributing, not making their eternity meaningful."

"What is it you want, Janette?"

"A goal. Something to work for. I also want - I guess I am finally - feeling maternal. I want - I want to bring someone over. Show them what we can do - you know, a child, or a protege, or a new pledge to the club, whatever you want to call it. I need something outside myself. Nicolas has becoming human again. I need to feel that I am here for a reason. That if someday I do die, I will leave something behind to make the world a better place."

Natalie nodded her head. "I think I see what you mean. Now that I have come across, I find myself asking "Now what? I don't want to become a coroner again. I could lose control and then if someone wondered why all the homicide victims brought in were bloodless?" She looked around. "I also wonder if I am going a little crazy. I mean, I'm supposed to be a self-sufficient, modern woman, right? So why am I sneaking into Nick's apartment at night like this?"

"Don't ask me. Nicolas invited me."

Just then they saw Nick drive up to the apartment building. He got out of the Caddy and walked to the door. This apartment was on the outskirts, in a suburb really, and so did not have the parking problems or quite the buildup that would be found in Manhattan or in the more densely populated regions.

Ohhhh... Nick thought. Those French fries really hadn't agreed with him. Maybe if he had had the donut instead. Or if he had drunk from the bottle of maple syrup that Green had given him. Maple syrup should have been okay. It -was- blood, really. Tree blood. He could drink that, surely. 

Green certainly didn't have any problems with Nick eating that way. He seemed to have the strangest eating habits. He seemed to like to eat things out of their original containers, whether that meant swilling syrup, holding up a bag of cereal and pouring it into his mouth, or drinking pasta sauce from the can. Even Schanke had been known to use a fork on occasion.

But that was just a distraction from his real worry right now. The sun was soon going to be up and he would have to go inside. What would he do when he faced Janette? What did she want? Did she want to get together? And what about Natalie? Would he forgive her or not? Did he want to be a vampire or not?

Oh well, he might as well go in and face it now. He'd think of something.

--------Flashback--------------

Nick walked around, confused. It made no sense. Why was Elizabeth no longer willing to see him.

"Hello, Nicolas."

Nick spun around. "What the- I thought you were taking care of something. That you'd be gone a lot longer."

"I took care of it tonight. Listen, Nicolas. LaCroix has his deals with you, I have mine. He may not let you fall in love with a mortal, but I will not let you -be- with another vampiress. You may dally with mortal women all you wish. But there is only one of us whom you will drink from or who will drink from you. Elizabeth understands. I am young, but she is younger, almost as much so as you. In a fight, I would drain her, or, if need be, stake her."

"Why?"

"She would be controlled by you. Most women would be. She would be better off dead, You see, I am a firm believer in the woman being in control in these relationships."

Nick looked at her coldly. "And LaCroix is not in control of you?"

"I let him be," said Janette, because we want the same things - besides, ours is not that way. Occasionally there are situations where one has to drink from the other in a feeding sort of way, but we have never made love, the way you and I do, Nicolas."

"Why must you control me?"

"Because I will not allow it to be the other way around for me, again, EVER."

In the distance, LaCroix laughed. So Janette thought she was in control? They would see. They would see.

------End flashback---------------

"Hello, Nick/Nicolas," heard Nick as he walked in. Janette had an expression that conveyed concern, but not happiness or sadness. Natalie looked miserable, as she had almost every time Nick had seen her since she had brought herself across.

"Nicolas," said Janette. "What do you want. You brought me back across for a reason. Did you hope to start a relationship with me again?"

"I- I- just couldn't stand the thought of you not being there."

"But do you desire that we - turn the clock back? Be what we once were?"

Nick shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. But mortal or not, I can't go back to the life I was leading. I have to look forward. I need you, Janette. I need you to be there - but not that way. Not again. I - I can't just redo everything. Make everything like it was."

"You have tried before," replied Janette, in a slightly mocking tone, as if she were a competition or debate with Nick.

At that moment, something burst inside Nick, and his nasty side came out.

"That, mon cher-ie, is because you threw yourself at me every time I was anywhere near you. Once when you saved my life, you even demanded sex in return. I felt I had to."

"I -did- NOT demand anything. You were feeling the old feelings, and I simply prompted you to show them. Of course, we were interrupted."

"HA!" screamed Natalie. "I knew it! I knew I had walked in on something! Four years ago! Right? You had that run in with the old Chinese man?" Then she changed her tone. "Nick, how could you? Why did you always run to her?"

Nick burst into tears and ran toward the window. The sun was coming up, so he ran back. "I'm sorry, Nat. I'm sorry Janette. I'm sure it's all my fault, again! God forbid I have a moment of weakness. God forbid I decide not to wait to become mortal before I make love again. At that point, I didn't even know how you felt, Nat!" He began to tear at his hair. "I don't know. Maybe you should have tricked me into bringing you across earlier. Maybe you should have made your move during that glorious day when I was mortal - who knows? Maybe that Lytoveuterine B would have let you have a baby by me. Or were you just stringing me along until you could find a way to join the fang club?"

Janette suddenly slapped Nick. "Nicolas! What are you doing? You brought me across again when I asked you not to. Why? Because I had to be around for you! How is what Natalie did any different? You don't want me anymore, fine. But you have to start forgiving at some point and determining who you do want. Unless -" she looked at Nick. "Unless you have become so overwhelmed with guilt that you can't forgive yourself for, unless you've taken so much blame for everything that you can't take anymore. Maybe you are so full that you are overflowing, and finally your guilt is spilling over to everyone else. You can't forgive yourself, and you can't take any more guilt, so you blame everyone else."

Janette walked toward the guest bedroom. "It is daylight. May I stay the day - as a guest?"

"Yes, fine." Nick waved her away.

"Nicolas - may I speak with you for a moment?" Natalie glared at Janette, and Janette hastily added, "no, no, I won't bite." 

"What is it?" asked Nick, quietly. Trying to be courteous, Nat did not listen in.

"Nicolas. She is in despair right now. If you don't do something, you will soon have another reason to feel guilty. She is about to break down. If you have any compassion, you will comfort her."

An hour later, Janette awoke from a fitful sleep. She heard noises in the other room. She got up with great anxiety. Listening carefully, she could make out words.

"Nat, I can't - I can't promise you anything."

"Just this moment. That's all I want. Let the next moment take care of itself."

Concentrating for a moment on her link with Nick, Janette felt the canine teeth extend into fangs. She could feel them sink into the soft flesh, flesh that felt warm only to one another. She felt a sudden sharp pain on the left side of the neck. She could feel blood draining in, and out, in perfect dynamic equilibrium.

She fell back onto the bed. Blood red tears streamed from both eyes.

"I will always love you, Nicolas," she whispered, so softly that only she could hear it.


	3. Episode 3: Partners

GLAIVESTER'S FOREVER KNIGHT SEASON 4

Not affiliated with the virtual fourth season.

Forever Knight belongs to TriStar or whomever. This work is not intended to infringe on any copyrights. If the owners of Forever Knight wish to profit off this story, it's fine with me. Permission to archive and post to anyone. Please give credit to "The Glaivester." 

NOTE: I will continue to use the "looks like celebrity" method for describing some of my characters. It's an easy way to paint an entire picture in a few words. Gearheart University is, to my knowledge, fictional.

EPISODE 3: PARTNERS

Harchin looked out the window and then at the new recruit. She was standing in the morning light with Draygon. Harchin was a carouche, a cow-carouche, actually, a very rare breed. Draygon a normal vampire. They were part of the Ontario branch. The Enforcers numbered very few. Only five thousand or so in all, out of perhaps one to one-and-half million vampires in the world. Only ten were in the Ontario branch. Now there was another.

Harchin spoke with a U.S. accent, Draygon with a slight Scottish one. Morning was coming. The sun was rising. They were in a small cabin somewhere in a clearing in the woods. The new recruit stared at the sun as it rose. Suddenly smoke began to billow out of her body. She cringed, and waited. Then she burst into flames.

Suddenly the blinds fell and a bucket of water splashed on the new recruit, dousing the flames. Draygon had shown almost no sign of discomfit, with only a small wisp of smoke coming from his head. He gave a bottle of blood to the girl, her face burned nearly beyond recognition. She drank it as quickly as she could, and then collapsed.

As with all such fires, her clothes were almost completely unharmed. Vampires burning from sunlight generally burned very cold. It wasn't like regular fire, not really.

Harchin gulped down his own bottle of cow blood. He looked at his waist. He could swear that he was getting fatter. Weight gain was actually not unheard of for vampires, if they drank enough blood. "Sorry, really I am, but this is a necessary part of the training. Builds resistance, you see. Some of the oldest of us can actually spend several minutes in the sunlight if need be. We -have- to be stronger and better than the rest, or we're finished."

Draygon smiled. "Young lass, y'see we protect not only our own kind but the mortals as well. If they ever found out about us, well, there'd be a war. We'd most likely be wiped out, and the mortals would lose a fair number more to our kind in a few nights than they have in the past century. We must be strong enough to maintain order."

"Don't worry," spoke the recruit, healing very quickly and noticeably. "If it'll prove my mettle, then up with the curtain again. I don't care how much it hurts. But I am strong enough to do this job on my OWN."

---------Flashback---------------

Draygon was on the phone.

"Yes, yes, I see. Well, we do owe you a favor." He put the phone down and looked at Harchin. "We need to get to the Toronto General hospital, quickly."

"Why?"

"Because Commissioner Vetter of the Toronto P.D. has finally called in that favor that the OVEG owe him [author's note: Ontario Vampire's Enforcers' Guild]."

-----------End flashback--------------

"Well, that's admirable. But it is unnecessary. And dangerous. You will flare up more quickly if we do it too soon, and we will need more blood. Don't worry. You will earn your position, or you will lose it. Whatever you think you have to prove, we think you have already proven your worth while you were mortal."

The woman looked at the two vampires. Her wounds were healing very, very rapidly, and her face began to take on its familiar shape. She opened her mouth to speak.

Draygon spoke first. "I say it every mornin'. Welcome to the Enforcers, Tracy."

Back in New York, Nick was looking in his refrigerator. He hadn't seen Natalie since the night Janette had visited. He would see her again tonight and talk with her. But she had left two things when she came. First, a bottle of blood. Human blood. Only a pint was left, or had ever been there in the first place. Janette had made Nick promise not to get rid of it, and had also made Natalie promise not to make him do so. "This blood," she had said, "was donated with explicit instructions that it be preserved for Nick. I, of course, added the special preservatives that make sure it keeps - at least for our kind's use of it."

The other was a tape. Janette had refused to say what was on it.

Nick put the tape in his VCR. When it came on, he stood aghast for a moment.

"Hello, Nick. If you are seeing this, it means I am dead."

"Schanke..." whispered Nick.

---------Non-character Flashback [i.e. not associated with a character's memories]------------

Schanke thought about what he had discovered, as he washed Nick's Caddy. Best to let Nick think that he had chalked it up to his experience shooting the perp. That wasn't really it at all.

Nick was a vampire. Schanke knew it now. So was Janette. So was LaCroix. But that did not give him the right to go distrusting his fellow officer. Sure, Nick had lied to him, but never in bad faith. And damn it, what right did he have to go snooping around in the personal life of someone who -had- after all, saved his life. No, it wasn't wrong to think that the man who had saved his life that night was a vampire, but it was very, very wrong, to look down on him for it, especially as the vampirism was what enabled Nick to save him.

Natalie must have known. So that's why Natalie seemed to be an item with him but never actually seemed to go out. She was probably afraid that Nick would kill her if they tried to get physical - or else he was afraid he would kill her.

This explained her strange behavior too, during that asteroid crisis. "I don't have to die." She wanted Nick to bring her across, of course! But then, didn't she also want to treat his "allergy" to the sun? He was probably looking for a cure to his vampirism!

-----Flashback---------

Schanke heard Nick talking as he walked into the room.

"Oh do I? Do I? I can have my humanity back, but only for as long and for as much as you're willing to give it to me. And they will give me back my immortality. But only by night. And only for exchange for my soul."

-----End flashback---------

So that was what that business about Lytovitamin C - lytovigorvim A - whatever it was called - was. That's why Nick was eating so much, and so happy to be in the sunlight! But it obviously hadn't worked, or the side effects had been too much.

-----------End non-character flashback-------------------------

"Nick. I know your secret. But it's okay. You are a good guy, and a good friend. Listen, I can't get over these dreams I have been having - I feel like I am about to die in oh, about six weeks. I couldn't die without letting you know that I knew, and it's okay with me. I don't know if you noticed, but I have tried to use mouthwash after eating souvlaki these past few months so a not to poison you with my breath.

"In any case, here is a souvlaki recipe. Maybe garlic isn't so bad you know. Maybe it's the solution you're looking for, so I though I'd try one last time to convince you to try some."

He looked around nervously. "Listen, if these dreams keep coming up, I'll tell you just before the predicted deadline approaches. Especially if something happens to make the death appear likely or - I don't know, if I get some omen while I'm awake. In any case, Janette is leaving, and I am giving this tape to her, as well as a pint of blood. So yes, that means she knows I know. It's okay, I hear that vampires can find out stuff - feel stuff about a person - from drinking blood. Well, if I -am- going to die - soon, I mean, and you need - need a friend- well, that's what the bottle is for. A last farewell, some of my crime-solving expertise - or just a friend. Uh, Nick - I know that feeding can be - er - sexual - so I just wanted to say that it's not like that at all, okay? I have also heard that feeding off one another or on blood from a friend can - be - friendly, just normal, male bonding friendly. And I thought that that might help you ease your pain, okay?"

The tape ended, and Nick looked at the bottle as he put it in the refrigerator. He would have to talk about this with Natalie. She had been devastated by Schanke's death as well.

Tracy listened to the lecture. She was the entire class, so she couldn't daydream, they'd notice.

"Around the middle of the fifteenth century, the problem of vampire hunters because so bad that it threatened to put an end to our kind once and for all. So we developed our own group of hunters. Especially strong vampires, were recruited, and 'selective breeding,' or more precisely selective bringing across, was used to create the group now known as 'The Enforcers.' We began to get more and more secretive around mortals, and tried to downplay our history as mere legend, in order to avoid detection by frightened villagers who would alert those who would destroy us. With the advent of modern recording equipment, particularly camera and other visual devices, concealing our presence became more difficult.

Tracy suddenly looked very tired.

"Let's take a break," suggested Harchin, and Draygon nodded.

"Aye, that's a good idea."

Tracy relaxed for a moment, and once again the night of her "death" flashed before her eyes. 

-----Flashback-----------------

Shortly after Nick had visited, her father came over, with Macintosh and Draygon by his side. "I helped you once. Now you have to help me. Save her life."

"How do you know its what she wants?"

"I was under the impression that they can choose while being brought across."

"Usually. Not always if they don't understand what's going on. They may choose by mistake."

"Her boyfriend was a vampire - yes, mortals have sources, not just you guys. Yes, I was worried that he might do her in. Sort of made worrying about her getting pregnant from a guy in college seem - frivolous. But I figured that her police partner would kill Vachon himself if something like that happened, so I didn't worry about it. Well, in any case, she'll understand."

Macintosh lowered his head to her neck and bit it. Tracy's vital signs began to drop. Macintosh quickly opened a wrist. Tracy's blood rushed through him and he fed it back to her through her mouth.

Tracy somehow managed to sense all of this even in her weakened state. But she was slow to begin remembering it. She still didn't remember choosing, the door that she had heard others speak of, except that she had chosen to come back. Hearing about other experiences, she had discovered that the "door" was not always universal. Vachon had apparently been too wrapped up in his external circumstances to have had such a moment.

The next part, she had been told of, but did not remember.

Suddenly her body had gone limp and all of her vital signs had apparently disappeared. The doctors came in and tried to revive her. They could not. Fortunately, she had forgotten to fill out an organ donor card, so that was not an issue. Her "dead" body was wheeled away.

She woke up in the morgue an hour later, with two bottles of blood in her hands. She drank both by instinct before realizing what had happened. She heard a voice over her link with Macintosh.

"Stay still. Don't worry. Vampires don't have - excretory functions. All our excretions are in the form of gases diffusing through the skin. You can sit still until the funeral. We'll bring you through this."

-----End Flashback----------

"And now, for the problem of religious symbols," said Harchin. "There is a great deal of speculation on why they harm us. Due to the fact that sacred relics from faiths with beliefs that contradict one another can harm us, it is now widely assumed that the power of the relics do not lie in the validity of their faith, or in the power of what they represent. Therefore, we do not believe that the reaction we have to such relics necessarily implies that we are unholy, if indeed such categories exist."

Tracy sighed. In her mind she noted that Harchin looked a lot like the guy who played the bartender in the last episode of "Quantum Leap," as well as how much Draygon looked like David Ogden Stiers from M*A*S*H. It would be a long, long day. And when night came, the physical training would begin.

The Boss looked out from his window. Sunlight. He stepped into the light, his back turned to the door. He faced the window which served as a two-way mirror to those on the outside. He began to smoke, and then to burn. After ten seconds, the fire died down, and his body began to heal - while he remained in the sunlight. Few vampires could stand the sunlight like he could, but then again, he wasn't just a vampire, was he?

He called in Thomas Krull.

"Hello, Mr. Krull," said the Boss. 

Suddenly the Boss was on Mr. Krull from behind, draining blood from his neck without ever showing Mr. Krull his face. After a few seconds, the Boss was finished. He tore open his wrist and gave a few drops to Mr. Krull.

In a swoon Thomas Krull fell to the ground. "Don't worry, I didn't drain you to anywhere near death," hissed the boss, "When you wake, you will not be a vampire, but you will be half-brought over. This will enable you to become a hunter. I've come too far to let a vampire who has decided to join the police force stop my plans."

When night fell, Natalie began preparing for her new job. She was teaching night classes on anatomy. But for the time being she could not do anything that involved actual cadavers. She might be too tempted to eat. But she need some job. She really couldn't just live off her savings, nor could she stand drinking the increasingly "animally-diluted" blood she was forced to buy. Maybe she should have drunk animal blood her first time. That way, she would be able to enjoy it more. But then Nick could never love a carouche, she was certain, and she was uncertain whether becoming a carouche would have turned her - well, would have given her all of the not-so-charming personality traits of Screed. So she had insisted that LaCroix had brought human blood, and now she was forced to crave it without being able to afford it.

Natalie turned on her car radio. When LaCroix had moved to New York, he had kept his radio name. 

"Hello, out there in radio land. I am the Nightcrawler. Tonight I speak of old friends, long since past. They say that if we keep them in our hearts they never truly die. But I wonder, are we keeping them alive, or are we simply living in denial?"

Nat thought about Nick's earlier call. He had said something about meeting him in the morning at his apartment for a "drop of Schanke and Auld Lang Syne." As it was no where near New Year's, the last part of that made little sense. Nick had only explained by saying that Schanke had apparently left a gift before he had died, that Nick had only found out about now.

She didn't have a car in New York, so she decided to walk to her job. Flying would be far too conspicuous in such a big city.

On her way to the university, she suddenly met Nick's new partner.

"Detective- Detective Green, isn't it?"

"Yes, fair lady," he said in jest. "That was my name when we met the other night. I hope that Detective Knight did not give you too much trouble in his asking you questions. But you know, you were kidnapped, we needed to find out as much as we could about the kidnappers. But I couldn't help noticing - you have the same skin condition as Knight. He was quite adamant that you get home before the sun came up. I'm sure that your similarity is more than a coincidence."

"What are you implying?"

"Are you related? I'm sorry if I'm intruding, but I like to know as much as I can about my partners; it makes working with them easier." He was holding a two-liter bottle of Creme soda, and he put it to his lips and drank between sentences.

"No. By the way, do you always eat and drink like that?"

"When I can get away with it. It saves me from preparing food or getting drinking glasses." He took another swig. "So where are you headed?"

"To Gearheart University."

"That's on my way to the police station."

"Great. So we can walk together. I suppose that -is- the idea?"

"Of course. I sometimes like to walk rather than drive. A policeman needs to be in shape! And I need to be in shape for my personal life, too. Never know when you'll meet an interesting person and it might come in handy!"

"Like me?" asked Natalie.

"Perhaps. But I was thinking more of meeting someone who wants to play a game with you. Sports, you know. I seem to get involved in sports a great deal, through no desire on my part, I can tell you."

"So you want to be in shape to do some one-on-one basketball?"

"Something like that."

"And you don't think you can do that with me?"

"Perhaps I can..." Green seemed uncertain what to say next. "You just don't strike me as the sort who would play the... types of sport I play. I thought that because I said 'personal life' that you were under the impression that I was coming on to you, so I wanted to dispel that notion. I hate people who try slick come-ons."

"Well, Detective Green..."

"Call me Charlie. Nicky-boy does."

"Do you give everyone nicknames?"

"Only those I like." Green smiled broadly as he said this.

"And those you don't like?"

"Well, they get nicked but not named."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think that we are at Gearheart. I really must be going." And Green was gone.

Tracy fell exhausted into her bed. Sleeping at night was not normal for a vampire, but then again, none of what she was doing was normal for most vampires. She was drinking diluted garlic, as well as being constantly exposed to objects of religious significance. Interestingly enough, she had discovered that some vampires had strong religious beliefs; a few had made it their burden to practice their faiths without using symbolic objects, others saw the pain as - cleansing or something. However, in her case, being exposed was all part of the process of "toughening her up." Enforcers had to be tough. Still, it wasn't what she imagined - the pain of the cross might be psychic or psychosomatic, but it wasn't psychological. It hurt like fire, but she didn't get any sense of damnation or something.

"I guess I am meant to be a cop even in undeath," she laughed to herself. She wondered when she would get a chance to tell Nick that she was still alive. Would she?

And Vachon - now that she could finally consummate their relationship, he was dead. She had been hypnotized into forgetting by LaCroix - the SOB was so powerful he had somehow found a way of getting past her ability to resist. Of course, her desire to forget that awful memory of burying Vachon alone probably had helped. The funny thing was though that being brought across undid the "whammy" and now she remembered it in vivid detail. And poor Screed - she'd never even been told to forget him. She also had some knowledge of an unhappy blonde vampiress named Urs who had been killed. Damn it was sad.

But there were some good things. Watching Harchin eat a stick of garlic bread in the first class to prove his superior endurance. Watching him run into the bathroom, holding his mouth for a second afterwards with his face turning green.

Well, she'd make new friends soon. She knew she could. It could be justified by the new PR campaign.

-----Flashback----------

After the funeral, Tracy got out of the coffin. She looked at her father, who was standing there.

"Ooooh.... she said, holding her head. Laying still all that time has given me a headache. Thank God you know people, Dad, so you could get a funeral home that wouldn't embalm me."

"Well, one of the people in the home is... one of them... I mean, one of you, but not of -you-. A vampire but not an Enforcer. He's helped people to deal with this situation before. Give them funeral and then let the 'dead' person go just before the coffin is closed. Much more workable than finding a replacement body."

"Dad, I'm really, really, hungry. And I think I need a shower. And what is an Enforcer?"

"You'll get food and bathing water," said the tall man who had just walked in.

"You are?" asked Tracy.

"I am Cornelius Draygon and my associate, who'll be here shortly, is Neill Harchin. We work under Macintosh. We're Enforcers. Protectors of the secret, keepers of the peace. And you, my dear girl, are now one of us."

------End Flashback--------------

Boy, oh boy, was she lonely. Oh well. She hoped she'd get a classmate, soon.

Back in Nick's apartment that morning, Nick and Nat were talking.

"Not today?" asked Nat.

"We can - stay in separate bedrooms. I really - need time, Nat. And we have that now."

"I won't wait forever, Nick."

"Yes, well - in any case, have some of this. Drink it slowly." Nick poured a small amount of blood into a tiny shotglass. "It's human."

"I thought you were off human blood."

"In this case - in this case, it's not just food. Sip the blood carefully, Nat."

Natalie raised the glass to her lips and took a taste.

"Focus on the images, Nat. Focus on the blood not as food but as the window into the soul."

"Oh my... oh no... it - it can't be. Schanke."

"Janette dropped it off. Here, I'll show you the tape."

Over on the couch they watched Schanke's last message to them.

"So he knew," whispered Nat. "And he didn't mind. Uh-oh. That reminds me, there's something odd about your new partner. I'm not sure what it is, but I get the feeling he knows something about us."

"Well, he has to know something. He doesn't know how to use utensils for eating, so he must compensate somewhere else."

"Well, he's not as bad as all that - other than his eating habits, he seems like a classy guy."

"Why do I always get a partner? I asked to be alone. I'm going to get him killed. I just know it."

"You could tell him - and I'm sorry, Nick. I'm the one who killed Tracy, not you."

Nick stared at Nat. "What do you mean?"

"You could have brought her across. I stopped you. Not because I thought she didn't want it, but because I was jealous. I suppose if she had preferred death to undeath, she could have gone into the light."

"It's okay Nat," said Nick. "I'm sure you were under stress at the time. I - I probably caused it..."

"Nick, you idiot! Not - everything - that - happens - is - your - FAULT! I made a terrible error, and Tracy is dead because of it! My fault! My jealousy! My -" she started sobbing hysterically.

Nick put his arm around Nat. "Nat, I understand how you feel... I've felt this way every day for the last century or so. It's the reason I didn't want you to be a vampire; the massive, massive guilt - "

"Nick, this happened when I was mortal. It's not what you did to me - what I tricked you into doing - that caused this. I did it. Nick, mortality is not all-good and vampirism is not all-evil."

"Okay, let's just sit back, and enjoy the company of an old friend. You will have to work through your guilt like I do. One day at a time." Nick sipped his glass of Schanke.

Gage fingered his bribe money. The pellmethylene shipment - with the addictive agent - had arrived. It would soon flood the city. The new "tough on crime" policies might be reducing the crime rates in the city for now - but if this drug got out, it would soon cause pure havoc. And in that havoc, he would be able to play both sides - obtain promotions and status at the police station through arresting dealers - only the less important ones, of course, and obtain lots and lots of bribe money from the mysterious crime lord known as "the Boss."

Thrush and Krull were back from a patrol. They had caught another vampire. He was wrapped in plastic bags to shield the sunlight. This was the fun part of their job. Slowly draining the vampire of blood, and then bottling the blood to make strange potions with - youth elixirs, muscle-enhancers, all of the new drugs the pellmethylene trade was financing. 

The vampire was about two or three centuries old, Thrush reckoned. That meant that its blood was powerful enough to make the higher-quality drugs. Vampires needed time to develop the proper chemicals. Otherwise, The Boss would have just kidnapped mortals and brought them over, and then used them for their blood.

Thrush and Krull walked into a small room, where a youngish woman was preparing a blood-letting machine.

"Hello, Miss Ward. We have another one for you," said Krull.

Tracy lay back in her chair, when suddenly a figure appeared in front of her.

"Hello," he said in a French accent.

"What are you doing here? And who are you?"

"A friend of Vachon's. The last of his crew."

"Really?"

"Around the mid-twentieth century, I got tired of running with him, and decided to break off on my own. But I soon found out that blood was getting harder to get without raising suspicion. And I had never bothered to save any money, so I wound up poor and very, very hungry. and then, I became an informant for the Enforcers. Pays well enough, fortunately, and I can afford the blood I need."

"And you are here because?"

"Harchin thought you might want some company; someone who could talk to you about mutual friends."

"Well, sit down then. But I warn you, I don't bite. Not without flowers and a long courtship first." Tracy thought that was a clever remark, but the man was unimpressed.

"Well, the Enforcers are mainly male and few non-Enforcers will have anything to do with them, so you are probably going to get a lot of come-ons. I don't know if you see that as a dream come true or as an annoyance, but let me just say that even if I were coming on to you, I would not be the last. But anyway, I just wanted to talk about Vachon."

"And you would be?"

"The name is Bourbon. Pronounced Borebone, not Burban."

THE END


End file.
